An increasing trend in the automobile industry is to provide modules that are a preassembly of multiple components for installation into a vehicle assembly or subassembly as a unit. To this end, in-tank fuel modules have become increasingly more prevalent in vehicles. The fuel modules may include a fuel pump, a fuel filter and other devices in a typically complicated single unit.
Prior art in-tank fuel modules provide modularity while greatly sacrificing the ability to change out failed components within the module. For example, a fuel module housing may include one or more portions that are permanently secured to one another encapsulating components that may need to be changed during the service life of the vehicle. Thus, a failed fuel pump or filter must require replacement of the entire fuel module at a great cost to the vehicle manufacturer or vehicle owner. Therefore, what is needed is an improved in-tank fuel module providing an assembly having the fuel pump and filter while providing the ability to disassemble the fuel module to the degree necessary to change out a failed component.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.